Letters to Miss Joan Swindells, 1935

By John Swindells 02 Jan 2011 | Comment
| Share:
A sample of correspondence. She had many letters from Norman (very hard to read),quite cheery & jolly. George's letters are mostly pestering her to study hard. Edie's letters are more general family gossip. She was bedbound and operated on for appendicitis in early Feb, 1935.

-------------------------------

4 Chatsworth House
Devonshire Place
Eastbourne
Jan 28- 1935

My darling Joan,
We are sorry to hear you are not feeling well & that you have had those pains but hope by now you are feeling better. Perhaps we shall be hearing about you after the Dr. has seen you today & hope he can give a good report.

I am pleased to hear your chillblains do not trouble you much. Norman's appear to be better after the turpentine & mustard mixture. I am glad to hear of the iodine too & hope Iris has lost her chilblains too by now.

How strange for Clauds to have met the girl from near E-bourne. & how lovely for her to have such a nice treat in visiting Rome.

You were lucky to get 3 letters in one day.

I am glad you enjoyed the Doggie Poems. it is nice to know you have a decent book to read like that.

I am glad to say Daddy is feeling better, he gets such bad heads besides the sickness.

We have had snow today,just enough to cover the ground &the sun has melted it in places, & there it is slushy.

Poor Mr. House died on Friday Morning. It is very sad for Mrs. House. He is to be buried tomorrow I think & they say what a nice man he was, but he has suffered a lot the last 2 or 3 years. I don't know what she will do now. Perhaps she will be able to stay on here as her one daughter is in a Post at the Mostyn I think it was, & was able to pop most afternoons.

I'm so sorry I forgot the Poobak?, as I have none of it I am enclosing the Rabok (breathe on chain & polish) the color [sic] comes off some what so mind your fingers. You had better use it when you can wash afterwards.

I hope you can keep warm if you have to stay in bed as the cold winds get in everywhere.

I will close with much love from your loving Mother

P.S. Please thank Miss de la Mare as I have not time to write & catch the post.

----------------------------------------------------

To Miss J Swindells
St. Margaret's
Folkstone

4 Chatsworth House
Devonshire Place
Eastbourne
7th February 1935

Dear Joan, As the doctor & surgeon both think that you should have your appendix out as soon as possible I have given consent for it to be done. If you remain with it as it is you will always be bothered with it & if it were neglected, entirely, you could never go very far away, so we should always be thinking of the risk?. Moreover, if it is neglected too long it means a longer time recuperating. Now that your temperature is more or less normal & you are in a good state of health everything is in your favour for a speedy recovery. Done very soon it will give you every chance of picking up lost round with your work & enable you to sit, we trust, for your exam in July whereas, if done later on it would be harder for you to tops? [sic] with your work.He often tells her in letters to try to come "tops"

It is better for it to be done at F'Stone to save the travelling or when ready to leave the Nursing Home. You won't have a lot of stairs to climb as you would here & which would be detrimental to your progress for getting out into the open.

The spring & summer coming along will also be in your favour so keep a brave heart & think of the advantages in your favour if taken out now. In your case it will be a fairly simple affair because of your age.

It tried to snow this morning but soon changed & this afternoon we have had lovely sunshine. It is now beginning to feel cold. Mammy is out to tea this afternoon with the Omahs?.

My ear is very much better today but still room for improvement.

By the way, Miss Guilbert has promised to do every thing possible for you & very kindly offered us -- or whoever comes over -- hospitality.

From your Loving

Father.

P.S. Please Keep to your own particular handwriting without imitating Cessie's for it is really dreadful to do so.

----------------------------------------------------

4 Chatsworth House
Devonshire Place
Eastbourne
April 14th 1935

My darling Joan,

Thursday will suit me very well if that is convenient to Mrs. Addie. I wonder if the trains will be crowded that day. Or whether Wed, would be quieter for travelling.

Will you please find out the particulars if possible - times, changes if any & price of ticket & where to meet you if necessary.

If you are sure the shoes which you have seen are quite suitable then you can get them.

Auntie Nellie is not able to come this Easter as her younger sister is to have an operation in May, she has a hammer toe? on each foot & they have become so bad the last few years that now she is unable to get about unless she has them done. It will be 3 wks in hospital for her & then she will not be able to get about too much even then, it makes me very anxious about your toe, do give it room to lie down if possible, we do want to save you any suffering in years to come.

What a glorious day it has been today. The front was very crowded before lunch.

They are getting on with the new bandstrorm now or rather the walks round it. I hope it will be a great success.

They are beginning to put up the decorations for Jubilee along the front.

I am enclosing #1-10-0, as I have no idea of the fare. Please get some choc's or fruit for Mrs. Addie -- if there is any change please take care of it, as we are under very heavy expenses at present. Your operation fee is very heavy & I do not know what Dr. Streatfields bill will be; as he has not sent his in yet the other went to school, to Miss de Mare, & she sent it on.

Hoping you are keeping fit & best love

From your loving

Mother

----------------------------------------------------

To
Miss J. Swindells
c/o Mrs. Addie
Boscombe Lodge
Pembroke Road
Woking Surrey

Joan staying with the Addies



4 Chatsworth House
Devonshire Place
Eastbourne
Undated

My darling Joan.

Thank you for the pretty Easter Cards. They were done very well. Norman received his parcel on Monday.

What a glorious day it was been today. I expect you have enjoyed it. Norman & I went to Trinity Church on Sunday, about 5 to 11, & to our amazement people were coming away. No room. however we walked to the usual place at the far end & there we were ushered right down the Church & were turned into the Vestry -- about 50 or 60 people there, & we could just look along & was able to see the Vicar preaching & heard quite well. We had to leave by the side door to make room for the choir to come back.

Stephen was invited to Sidlesham for Sat: so we were a quiet party as Bessie was at Wannock.

Mr. Brooke Chaplain & House Master has writen to SFE as there is the opportunity for him to be the House Prefect. Mr. Brooke has wanted this chance for some time & now he is glad to be able to offer it, though it will only be for the last term, It has been quite a Lonie? to Daddy as it is what he has wished for too.

I suppose we must expect you when we see you, though Guilly says you need to work very hard all the hols to pull up.

The boys are morning & Evening, (not she' of course just now, but Norman ahas his St. Lawrence exam towards the end of May, so has to pull up now & take it easy nesch?next hols.

Your bed will be ready for you in the morning (Wed) & shall put bottles in awaiting your arrival (when I

Kind regards to Mrs. Addie & Iris.

& much love
From your loving Mother.

-------------------------------

4 Chatsworth House
Devonshire Place
Eastbourne
16th May 1935

Dear Joan
Mammy & I have looked for your Acts of the Apostles & cannot find it in your room. As a matter of fact I never saw this Book here at all during the holidays or it seems to me that you either left it behind at Iris's home or at the school or in the meantime, has probably been mislaid. Have you looked in your locker? Anyway I feel pretty certain that you did not bring it with you this last time. The time before yes, but not for Easter. I hope that you will soon find it otherwise you must make full use of the one Stephen lent you but if I remember rightly yours gave a much better or full explanation you will have to get another one or else borrow. GEt very well acquainted with the first few verses of St. Luke's Gospel. You want ?ain at gaining Credits in

1. English, including English Composition
2 Maths, including Arith, Geom? & Algebra
3. Latin, (4) French, and a Credit in {Scripture i.e. Religious Knowledge} Geography or History or Art

The above are necessary for exemptions
from London Matric
Oxford Responsions?
Cambridge Previous

You must get Credits in the first four subjects & one other at one and the same exam?? to be exempt from London Matric.

The Religious Knowledge for you is New Testament History "The Life of Christ and the Growth of the Early Church, with special reference to the Gospel according to St. Luke, the Acts of the Apostles, the Esp. the Philippians.
Candidates will be expected to show a general knowledge of contemporary history, are hearing on the subject."

After due consideration I have decided to let you have the enclosed Regulations so that you can read them for yourself Please do not let the Pamphlet be used by anyone keep it to yourself in a way as Miss G. may not like your having it altho' I see no reason why you should not.

Only do the work for this term that you are positively obliged to on account of the short time at your disposal as I see the exam starts on July 15 page 20 & don't spend too much time on games.

I'm sorry that we cannot let you have tennis lessons, this time. With the operation & doctors' fee on nursing home fees we have had to meet over #80 besides the other minor expenses & the Dr's fee here & there was no reduction of any Kind for the school expenses & none for this term so altogether it is quite an item. Some other time perhaps we may be able to do something in that way, if you want to excel in it.

If there is anything I can keep you with re the Scripture you must let me know but I should think that a little chat with Miss T. would do that, Do ask her if there is anything you want to know for I'm sure she will be only too pleased to keep you. More I can't be bother to transcribe about studies...

I beg of you not to overdo it when playing tennis as it is hardly 3 months since the opn. I'm sorry to hear about Jackie.friend Hope that she will soon be better with Love Daddy

----------------------------------------------------

4 Chatsworth House
Devonshire Place
Eastbourne
Undated

It is wet & very stormy here at the time of writing. D.

Dear Joan,
We have been wondering how you are after your change from the Nursing Home. I expect you found it rather awkward to feel your legs after being in bed for nearly two weeks. However, I daresay, by now, that you can walk a little more today than you could on Friday and, this time next week, all being well, you will be walking even very much better. You will, of course, have to go slowly. Do not try to do too much. "Slow & sure" is a fairly safe course to take in sickness. Anyway, we much hope that soon there will be a definite recovery & then what you have had during the past few weeks will be a memory.

When we heard that you were going back to school as yesterday Mammy thought that she had better postpone her visit for a day or two as today you will doubtless have the company of those in the school. Therefore nothing preventing she must cover over Wt'Shine? & see you either Tuesday or Thursday. Tomorrow Monday is a rather awkward day I do hope that you will get plenty of sleep as it is "nature's restorer" in sickness & in health too. For that matter also, take your food & eat as much fruit as you can thoroughly masticated.

Miss de la Mare has promised to do her very best for you & I expect that the doctor will keep an eye upon you until he thinks you are quite better. When the weather is fil? they will be taking you out for a little while. Cheer up & look forward to getting quite strong & well again. With love Daddy.

-------------------------

Share:

Comments

It's quiet in here...Add your comment